Dick Booth out at Arkansas

UCLA should pick up Booth and George Watts from Tennessee

I'm a fan of Bucknam, but I am extremely disappointed by this decision. I'm all for trying to bring your take into the program, as I assume Bucknam is trying to do, but this seems to be instead him trying to do away with everything that Arkansas was about in the last 30 years. I'm gonna guess that the new jumps coach he brings in will be from NIU. It seems that that's the way things are heading these days. I'd be surprised otherwise. It's too bad because I loved how the Hogs won all those conference and national titles. It seems soon the Razorbacks will be hard pressed to even win the conference meet again. I'm extremely disappointed once again.

Ex Hog/FAN wrote:

I'm a fan of Bucknam, but I am extremely disappointed by this decision. I'm all for trying to bring your take into the program, as I assume Bucknam is trying to do, but this seems to be instead him trying to do away with everything that Arkansas was about in the last 30 years. I'm gonna guess that the new jumps coach he brings in will be from NIU. It seems that that's the way things are heading these days. I'd be surprised otherwise. It's too bad because I loved how the Hogs won all those conference and national titles. It seems soon the Razorbacks will be hard pressed to even win the conference meet again. I'm extremely disappointed once again.

I would shit my pants if the new jumps/multi coach he brings in is from UNI (not NIU, tard).

No way Geopfert leaves a job at his alma matter to play second fiddle to Buck again. If it happens...well, I'd be very, very surprised.

What an opportunity! wrote:

UCLA should pick up Booth and George Watts from Tennessee

yep, or:

Vin, here's your key to an Oregon NCAA outdoor championship!

or:

Texas A/M, want some total dominance in the years to come... here's the answer!

is it not obvious to everyone else what is going on down in arkansas? buckman does not like being compared to Mcdonnell, got a big chip on his shoulder about it, so what does he do? gets rid of everything Mcdonnell. Not suprised.

but what a low thing to do. no respect for anyone this guy

dumb wrote:

is it not obvious to everyone else what is going on down in arkansas? buckman does not like being compared to Mcdonnell, got a big chip on his shoulder about it, so what does he do? gets rid of everything Mcdonnell. Not suprised.

but what a low thing to do. no respect for anyone this guy

Another aspect of this is that the new head coach, by cleaning house, can lower salaries on the replacements...and well...give himself a raise...

Pure Greed could be involved.

Clearly this is a case of the new head coach, not being able to be harmonious and play well with others.

I mean, really, how hard would it be to let the dude do another 3 years...and retire with 30 years of service...retire with pride...and loyalty to the institution.

Hang this one on the AD as well.

...One might also take the view that the new head coach is under immense pressure to deliver and not let the program fall off...so he has to surround himself with his own men and women for longer term success etc.

But with this dude's pedigree?

Sometimes people are no damn good...and if Arkansas goes down...it will be because of this low class behavior.

That is a possibility. I don't know anyone that has actually met Bucknam, but I still can't believe he did this out of pure greed. I have heard rumors about the Arkansas AD being 100% football...so that could have an impact on the track and field budget. Another possibility could be that, as I stated earlier, he just wants to take the program in a different direction. Coach Booth has had immense success, but so have many other coaches that have been let go. He didn't seem too angry in his interview, and Bucknam's interview didn't have any sense of "I want this to be all about me, so Booth is fired."

Idk...there could be any number of reasons for Booth being let go. Only the people at Arkansas know the real reason.

Bucknam will never escape Johnny Mac's shadow nor will he be able to develop athletes that are currently there and are to come with the exception of Ulrey(being a super talent the kid could run fast under a ringer) But Bucknam will never be able to develop the basic to moderate talent that he is going to be receiving like Mcdonnell could.

Bucknam will be fired with in 3 years no doubt about it.

passing stranger wrote:

Another aspect of this is that the new head coach, by cleaning house, can lower salaries on the replacements...and well...give himself a raise...

Huh. Well, maybe. I don't know how things work at Arkansas, but I've coached in DI and DIII and never been in or heard of an athletic department whose funding and budgeting policies would allow that.

Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.buckman has no idea what he has done.From the outside looking in, it

would appear that his reasons for letting Booth go are not justified. We all make mistakes in life, but bucknam sure made a mvc one here. Reminds me so much of martin smith at Oregon, and we all know what happened to him. The alumni

behind the scene gave him the boot. No matter how hard bucknam try's to make that program his, it won't happen. He

has'nt truly embraced the tradition of Arkansas. This is not

the mvc this the SEC. I know the coaches in the SEC are licking there chops after this bad decision. It's only a matter of time before bucknam meets the same fate that smith

met at Oregon. Booth's firing will not be in vain. bucknam should take a page from Vinnie at Oregon on diplomacy and keeping tradition in place. It's not about you bucknam, IT'S

ABOUT ARKANSAS!!!! you really need to get out while the going is good.

What distance points did Bucknam score in the NCAA? I see Dorian 4th and McPherson 5th as pretty low points. Let's not forget Shawn Forest and James Strang, 2nd and 6th in the 10,000m had NOTHING to do with Chris Bucknam.

He also took the Brother MaClary and got ZERO at the NCAA meet (just as big a failure) as Booth with Ko or Bailey at NCAAs outdoors, not to mention Case not being able to get a single point with the best sprinters he will have for the next 2-3 years!!

Nobody rolls in and picks up a 10.06 100m kid and makes his 4th year a realy joke like Doug Case! Not to mention the 4 X 400s performance Outdoors over Indoors,was it faster? Case did a great job with the 17'6.5' HS vaulter on the Arkansas team as well.

Lastly, Dorian Ulrey is running for Global Management in Europe with Artie Huff calling the shots for Chris Bucknam's boy. Since Bucknam thinks Dorian has eligibility left when working with and eating dinner with an Agent like ARTHUR HUFF (Global Management's Agent in Fayetteville) the whole program should get a suspension!

Dorian should be completely done with the NCAA since he is getting management and monies that Fernandez and Emmauel are not getting this summer!! Dorian still cannot run the 5k and with his great 3:35.23 being a time trialist and not a racer should be evident.

Yes, the last quarter was 56.8, but this kid thought he could run down a bunch of 3:31-3:32 guys and he was just WRONG! Great run though, no question, yet it is kind of like BK's 5k in 1996, plainly the WRONG event for international success!!

HEAD COACHES SHOULD BE ABLE TO NAME THEIR OWN STAFF! Where on earth is this atypical? Booth was passed over for the head job last year! Duh, his time was up at Arkansas.

Plus, he's 65? retire already

Typical letsrun crap to criticize from anonymity. Let the coach do his work.

[quote]aadb wrote:

HEAD COACHES SHOULD BE ABLE TO NAME THEIR OWN STAFF!quote]

Head coaches need to use their heads when naming their own staff. Booth was Buckham's most valuable asset to the program as the sole tie to the winning tradition of Arkansas. By firing him, he sent out a message of disrespect and disregard to that long standing tradition.

Does it come as a surprise that many people find the firing of Booth distasteful or low? It shouldn't.

Here's something else that should come as no surprise: Arkansas' performance as a team in the conference and at nationals will be dropping.

I will soon be arriving in Fayetteville to bring back the dynamic duo of Myself and Buck. We will ride roughshod over the SEC just as we did the MVC back in the day.

I have forgotten more about the jumps than Dick Booth ever knew.

Better make room in that paltry trophy case for some serious hardware now boys.

[quote]The Law wrote:

I have forgotten more about the jumps than Dick Booth ever knew.

quote]

Pretty much means you've forgotten about nearly everything there is to know about the jumps.

Just saw this news and I don't even know what to think! I mean first booth gets passed up for the head coaching job after a loyal and unmatched 26 years @ Arkansas, now this? Who does Bucknam think he is? coming in and firing someone with the type of credentials Booth has and not to mention 27 years of being a true Razorback!

Dear Bucknam, Enjoy it while it last because you're job is finished after you bomb the next few SEC championships.

Your so misinformed that I had to intervene and type two things. First, are you aware that after Tarik Batchelor jumped 7.70 in the prelims at the NCAA meet that Dick Booth had him pass his second jump because he was certain he would get to the finals with that jump? Did you also know that when Booth realized that 7.70 wouldn't make it he had Batchelor put his shoes back on and jump again and he posted a measly 7.49 and missed out on making the finals? I think Bucknam is pretty class for not airing that out in the press, that's a fireable offense right there. And even Booth will tell you that McCorkel is the biggest head case vaulter in the NCAA.

And the Ulrey stuff you posted is just rediculous, get a clue.

Ulrey has a great kick, as long as the race is not at sub 4 minute mile pace. If it is <4:00 pace the kids wheels come off. There are multiple guys in the NCAA that could get DRAGED!!!!! to a 3:35 and get almost DFL!!!!! The guy he beat was the rabbit that stayed in!

Johnny Mac vs Bucknam in a death match! But only as a half time show for NCAA's!